We are using our expertise and experience from similar complex transport challenges to design and construct a 1.6 kilometre dual two-lane sea viaduct, and are also building nine smaller approach viaducts.

As well as generating local jobs, this project is bringing significant value to the local economy.

“We are excited to have been awarded the contract and to be taking part in enhancing this important strategic road network. We are fully committed to the challenges ahead and are confident that we will safely deliver the project to the highest quality and within the construction programme.”

Olympic Stadium transformation

We transformed the iconic former London Olympic stadium into a multi-purpose sporting venue

Using complex engineering techniques, we reinvigorated the stadium after the London 2012 Olympic Games, transforming it into a modern venue for a range of sports events.

The stadium is now also the home of West Ham United FC. To ensure the stadium was suitable for football fans, we expanded the original roof to cover some 60,000 supporters. We installed the world’s heaviest canitlever roof, which is twice the size of the original, as well as incorporating the iconic lighting towers into the new structure.

We used sustainable construction methods to transform the stadium, reusing over 6,000m of cable, 3,800 lights and 1,000 mechanical and electrical components. We also included 19,000 tonnes of recycled demolition material into the project.

At its peak, the project employed over 1700 people on site with a total of 3.4 million man hours worked. Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering also installed 350 minipiles to support the increased load on the new foundations, saving of over £500,000 and 400 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The project boosted the local economy through the use of businesses nearby. We created 50 local apprenticeships in a range of trades as well as 10 work placements and over 300 training opportunities.

A3 Hindhead Tunnel

We constructed the longest under-land road tunnel in the UK, protecting an important area of scientific interest and returning site to its natural roots.

As part of a 6.8km dual two-lane carriageway, the £371 million Hindhead tunnel was designed to relieve local traffic. The site was also responsible for returning The Devil’s Punchbowl, a site of special scientific interest, to its natural state.

Careful consideration

We were involved in the scheme at a very early stage to prepare the design and site planning. This helped us build in cost effective innovation from the start of the project as well as ensuring all environmental concerns were addressed at the right time.

One of the first actions was to remove the wildlife from the construction site, a process that saw 171 reptiles including slow worms, adders and lizards carefully moved to suitable locations. The local population of dormice, badgers, deer, foxes and rabbits were encouraged into new homes.

Thinking ahead

The project is ‘tree neutral’, with more than 2,173 tonnes of timber removed and replaced by more than 200,000 native-species trees and shrubs. 330,000 cubic metres of earth was reused as embankments, in landscaping and noise-reduction banking.

Once the tunnel was opened, the relevant part of the existing A3 was closed and returned to heathland.

Blackfriars Station

We helped to relieve one of the UK’s busiest rail routes, creating a vital link through central London.

Changing trains

We modernised Blackfriars Railway Bridge and its outdated station, bringing this popular route into the 21st Century.

The Thameslink line runs through London from Bedford to Brighton. Linking two airports, two major London rail termini and nine London Underground stations, it's one of the UK's busiest rail routes. The line is vital for keeping London on the move.

Originally built in 1886, the railway bridge required extensive works to ensure it was able to keep up with passenger demand. We widened and strengthened the structure, building a new station across it with realigned tracks and new covered platforms spanning the River Thames. A new southern entrance gives passengers access from the south of the river for the first time. We delivered a range of works including initial piling and ground engineering. Our in-house piling business, Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering, installed over 700 bored piles (up to 40m deep) and micropiles, including a king-post retaining wall, close to live underground trains.

The station remained open throughout the programme to minimise disruption for passengers. We did much of the work at night and over weekends and holidays, while causing as little disturbance to neighbours as possible.

The project followed on from the success of our £115m project to build the new underground northern ticket hall at King's Cross St Pancras. London Mayor Boris Johnson described our work there as "the standard by which all new station developments should be judged."

Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center Replacement

Bringing together clinical effectiveness, energy efficiency and patient comfort in a state-of-the-art hospital

State-of-the-art building

In September 2010, our joint venture was selected to design and build the US$503m (£325m) Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center Replacement for the US Army's Fort Hood base in Texas.

This state-of-the-art medical centre for one of the largest military bases in the US is the largest project backed by the US Government's economic stimulus programme.

We are a proven team: five members of our team have already collaborated on the outstanding Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda.

Building on that experience, we have worked closely with project stakeholders to design a world-class facility that combines clinical effectiveness and energy efficiency with stress reduction and comfort for patients and visitors.

The medical centre is designed to meet the LEED Gold standard for environmental performance.

In the US, we are ranked as a Top 10 Green Builder. The new medical centre is designed to meet the internationally recognised LEED Gold standard for environmental performance. A few unique savings for this facility realise:

100% outside air in the climate control system to minimise the risk of cross-infection.

Approximately 33.5% in energy savings annually

Approximately 45% in annual water consumption savings over the LEED baseline

Chester gas network

Modernising the gas distribution network in a historically important town

Pipes renewed, past intact

In partnership with National Grid, we are responsible for maintaining and renewing the gas distribution network in north-west England. This includes replacing over 500km of obsolete large-diameter pipes each year.

We are replacing the old cast-iron network in the historic town of Chester. In the town centre, the great majority of buildings are Grade 1 and Grade 2 listed: many are of national importance.

We have to work with sensitivity to our surroundings – and to a busy calendar of tourism and heritage events.

We have been working closely with English Heritage to secure planning permission for pipe runs into buildings. We also have a full-time archaeologist on the staff to identify and protect the wealth of artefacts unearthed by our digging.

500km

of pipes replaced

Grade1listed surroundings

Victorian metal pipes are being replaced with plastic throughout Chester

The Diamond, University of Sheffield

We designed and built an innovative educational facility that will inspire the next generation of engineers.

The Diamond, home to the University of Sheffield’s faculty of engineering, is a £50 million world-class teaching facility. We delivered this complex design and build project from the initial ground engineering grouting and piling phases through to commissioning the services installation.

Our in-house piling company, Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering, installed 214 rotary bored piles through weak rock and coal seams to support the new building. Using our experience in developing iconic buildings, we created the facility’s impressive façade by producing an exoskeleton suit made up of over 10,000 anodised aluminium components. This reflects the surroundings and gives the building its name.

A priceless opportunity for students

The Diamond was built to offer an unrivalled student experience.

Throughout the construction phase, over 750 engineering students were given a unique opportunity to learn onsite. Many students also attended Building Information Modelling (BIM) sessions to experience first-hand the innovative design and modelling tools used.

A ‘building as a laboratory’ - this efficient facility allows students to understand how the building consumes energy in real-time thanks to sensors placed throughout the building. These sensors will also allow the University to monitor progress towards its target of reducing carbon emissions by 43% by 2020.

Edith Green Wendell Wyatt building modernisation

Delivering one of the most energy efficient high-rises in the US.

Our teams in the US transformed an 18 storey office building into a LEED Platinum, signature project for the General Services Administration, funded by The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.

Meeting the challenges of tomorrow

Energy conservation measures include a 13,000 square foot solar roof, elevators that generate power as they descend, advanced daylight-sensitive lighting systems and an air system that provides 100% fresh air. The building has a 165,000 gallon cistern and now uses 60% less water than typical office buildings.

We brought on board small businesses as subcontractors to grow new business competencies and develop critical relationships with key players in the local construction market.

A first-of-its-kind project labour agreement delivered 20% apprentice participation, 17% minority craftworkers and 8% female craftworkers, developing diversity in the local construction workforce. Additionally, it allowed 20% of the construction dollars to be directed to small business interests.

It’s been a great outcome for our Integrated Project Delivery philosophy: collaborative working with our client and supply chain combined with Building Integrated Modelling (BIM) and lean project principles.

The 39-year-old facility is now one of the most energy-efficient office buildings in the US.

At FAU, we've built upon the expertise we gained from providing PPP housing projects for the US military. Balfour Beatty's investment, development and construction businesses teamed up to design, build, and operate accommodations for over 1,200 students.

The 375 apartments are anticipated to meet the LEED Silver standard for environmental performance.

The US$123m (£79m) Innovation Village Apartments project will add 50% to FAU's existing 2,400-bed accommodation, which we will also manage under the contract. There is also a likely option to develop a further 1,200 beds by 2020.

Balfour Beatty invested capital in subordinated bonds to support the project. FAU's existing student housing was incorporated into a new non-profit organisation which also owns the new assets we are building, allowing funds to be raised for additional infrastructure.

"PPP is an effective way to introduce private expertise and capital into the public sector, meeting the current and future needs for housing and infrastructure at colleges and universities while improving overall value.”

Gas Distribution Strategic Partnership

We have been contracted by National Grid to replace aging metal pipes, service connections and build new mains in the North West of England and West Midlands until 2021.

Our commitment to efficiency, innovation and customer service is fundamental to our successful delivery of this £1.2 billion contract. Project deployment was large in scale, involving over 300 new commercial vehicles, 1,500 pieces of plant and 11,000 metres of site barriers.

Safe and efficient delivery

Use of an innovative new pipe cutting tool removes our employees from the risks involved in the excavation process. Furthermore, we are trialling a new way to create new pipes within the existing pipe, which when approved in 2015 will reduce the number of required excavations, making the work safer and more efficient.

“The combined GDSP contracts will allow National Grid to continue to deliver gas safely and reliably to our customers during the eight year operating framework period.

I am excited to be working with Balfour Beatty. I know based on previous experience that, using the GSDP’s ‘all together, safer, better, leaner and faster’ operating model, they will provide exceptional customer service and deliver the framework objectives safely, innovatively and efficiently.”

Greater Gabbard offshore transmission

Investing in power generation

We reinforced our leading position in the growing offshore transmission market when we reached financial close on the £317 million Greater Gabbard project, the high-voltage transmission system located off the coast of Suffolk in the UK.

Operating and maintaining your power supply

Offshore Transmission Owner (OFTOs) assets are the connection between the National Grid or transmission network and offshore wind farms. The turbines use array cables to connect to an offshore platform that, in turn, connects to the shore using offshore transmission cables. These connect into onshore transmission cables and then to an onshore substation. This receives the electricity from the turbines and converts it to the correct voltage to connect to the grid.

On the Greater Gabbard project we are now joint owner (in partnership with Equitix). Together we are responsible for their operation and maintenance under a long-term licence granted by Ofgem with a 20-year revenue entitlement. The OFTO assets include two offshore and one onshore substation and over 150 kilometres of sub-sea cable infrastructure.

To date, Balfour Beatty has been awarded preferred bidder status on three OFTO projects by Ofgem which together give Balfour Beatty the leading investor position in this market. The £163 million Thanet OFTO and the most recent win in July 2013 of the £346 million Gwynt y Mor OFTO are expected to close in 2014.

External recognition

The Greater Gabbard project won Silver Award in the 'Best Waste/Energy/Water Project' category at the 2014 Partnerships Awards.

“The OFTO market represents an ideal catalyst for Balfour Beatty to position itself at the beginning of an unprecedented period of growth in offshore electricity transmission. Balfour Beatty sees transitional projects as an important first step in UK offshore transmission investment and supply chain development. The skills applied through the transitional projects will form the foundation for the future pipeline. ”

The Green, Bradford

We provided a range of mechanical and electrical engineering works for this eco-friendly student accommodation village in Bradford, UK.

The University of Bradford contracted Balfour Beatty Engineering Services to deliver an environmentally sound set of works to create efficient, sustainable student living. The ten-block village provides study bedrooms. communal laundry facilities, offices and student facilities. The new complex is also used to educate and inform students about sustainability.

A range of works

We delivered all ventilation systems, fire alarms and CCTV throughout the campus. A state-of–the-art energy centre was built to house all of the plant and equipment required for the building’s systems and we provided a variety of underground site services, including gas, water, electricity and district heating. We also installed data and TV cabling, as well as access control and a Building Management System.

A model village

As the first student accommodation in the country to achieve BREEAM Outstanding rating, The Green is considered a blueprint for eco-friendly living.

We met strict customer requirements, designing a mechanical and electrical package that included a rainwater harvesting system, a combined heat and power pump system and a solar thermal hot water system. All of these contributed to making the building more efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 departure lounges

Working together to build a more sustainable Heathrow

At Heathrow, we combined design, construction, ground engineering, specialist mechanical and electrical expertise to create the Terminal 2 departure lounges, delivering a satellite building that is linked to the main terminal through an underground tunnel.

At £592 million, constructing the new lounges was one of the largest airside projects in Heathrow’s history and now provides pier-served tunnel links to the main Terminal 2. Balfour Beatty's integrated approach enabled our customer to open three aircraft stands three months early, helping them to ease stand congestion.

Off to a flying start

Working in close collaboration with the customer and supply chain partners, the project team achieved a £10 million saving and a reduction of five weeks in the schedule on the substructure package by using Building Information Monitoring. Phase 2 was completed on programme, increasing capacity by a further 10 new stands which are capable of receiving A380 jets.

We brought together a range of in-house expertise to successfully deliver the project. We prefabricated the plant room and other mechanical and electrical components at our off-site Modular Systems + facility. This allowed us to deliver Phase 1 ten weeks ahead of schedule, removing 115,000 hours of work from site and mitigating safety risks by reducing hot works. Our in-house piling business, Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering, installed over 2km of diaphragm walls, 700 piles and 160 plunge columns to support the new terminal building.

“Balfour Beatty is one of those companies who routinely looks for the better way to make things better. From what I have seen innovation and safety are clearly culturally embedded values in the Balfour Beatty T2 culture.”

Related video content:

Herefordshire Council Public Realm Services

Delivering key frontline services for Herefordshire

Our £200 million Herefordshire Council UK Public Realm contract covers highways maintenance and improvement works, street lighting and street cleaning, as well as responsibility for public rights of way, parks and open spaces.

Delivering a sustainable customer focused service

We will improve the condition of Hereford’s highways and be responsive to local needs and priorities. Through developing sub-contracting and supply chain opportunities, we will also contribute to the regeneration of the local economy.

Our commitment to putting customers first, understanding and responding to their needs, helps us deliver excellent services and value for money.

The outcome? Roads and footways will be safe, clean and uncongested, public rights of way will be accessible, safe and appropriately maintained, and parks and public spaces will be well-planned, attractive and accessible.

Holyrood Student Accommodation

Student Accommodation designed to engender community and choice of room type and price

Holyrood is a postgraduate village at the University of Edinburgh comprising eight individually designed buildings, eight accommodation types and 10 price points. The accommodation includes: cluster flats, residence hall, twin rooms, studios, en-suite/non en-suite rooms, garden rooms and large rooms. Twins and shared bathrooms all add positively to student choice – in particular on price.

Balfour Beatty has recently completed the final phase of the project and the new 2016/2017 academic year has seen 1,200 postgraduates residing in the new Holyrood Development.

The construction team was led by Balfour Beatty's Scottish arm of UK Construction Services, with the mechanical and electrical input being provided by Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick. To ensure time, labour and cost efficiencies, the on-site Construction team utilised a ‘just in time’ delivery programme. This, coupled with off-site pre-fabrication, ensured delivery of a high quality product.

The Postgraduate Residence HallAt its centre is the unique self-catered Residence Hall (RH), where 480 students cook, dine and socialise together - a UK, and possibly European first! The RH is based on the premise that not all students want to live with only a handful of others, or alone.

Each floor has its own lounge, linked internally to the floor below, allowing one quieter space and another more active space, where two floors of residents can mingle.

The RH opened in September 2015 and comments from residents have been extremely positive. Sharing and cleaning issues have been minimal.

“Throughout the delivery of the Project, Balfour Beatty and the University of Edinburgh have worked closely to deliver a world class facility. This delivery is underpinned by the knowledge that we have all worked to deliver a facility that is definitely built to last."

Institute of Technical Education, Singapore

Delivering finance, design and life cycle support for educational facilities – a first for South East Asia

A ground-breaking approach

Gammon Capital and Balfour Beatty Investments worked with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Singapore to provide accommodation for more than 15,000 students and 630 staff as well as flexible and adaptable learning spaces to support ITE’s changing requirements.

ITE chose Balfour Beatty for its Group-wide experience in designing and delivering privately-financed educational facilities. It was the first major project for Gammon Capital, which pre-qualified for the project in 2006 and was appointed preferred bidder in late 2007.

The ground-breaking project, worth S$270M and expected to last 27 years, is the first of its kind in South East Asia

The building is being built and managed using the PPP model developed in the UK, and was recognised with an award as Project Finance International’s Asia Pacific PPP Deal of the Year 2008. Gammon Capital worked closely with Balfour Beatty Investments while developing the bid, collaborating on all elements of project finance, commercial, design and life cycle support.

The project has enabled the sharing of expertise both within Gammon and its joint owners, Balfour Beatty and Jardine Matheson.

Community engagement and a focus on hospitality are central to ITE’s vision. The campus will include facilities such as retail outlets open to the public, many of which will be staffed by students.

The project has presented many challenges for the design and build contractor, Gammon Pte Ltd. The project team of 140 staff has supervised the placement of 110,000 cubic metres of concrete and 12,000 tonnes of rebar. The workforce reached 1,700 personnel at peak.

The design has set new benchmarks in energy efficiency and has been awarded “Platinum” grade (the highest available) under the Singapore Government’s environmental performance scheme. The design also features a 3,300 sqm tensile fabric roof, one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Kirkcaldy Victoria Hospital

Providing a welcoming environment for visitors and patients

Kirkcaldy Victoria Hospital’s £170 million new wing opened in 2012. It was delivered via a Balfour Beatty-led PPP under which we managed the funding, constructed the asset and will provide facilities management until 2041.

We completed the construction on time and on budget with zero snags. We saved time and cost through offsite prefabrication (including 273 en suite toilet pods) and baling segregated waste onsite to sell for recycling instead of paying for landfill.

It is designed to provide a welcoming environment for visitors and patients, with bright and spacious wards containing more than 50% single rooms. In the children’s ward, special curtaining enables children to transform their bedded bays into beach huts. A dedicated basement corridor helps keep maintenance traffic away from clinicians’ and visitors’.

“I am delighted to accept the keys to the new wing - a facility which will provide a lasting healthcare legacy for the people of Fife, benefitting not only our patients today but the generations to come.”

The Lighthouse

We transformed the historic Lighthouse building into a modern office space, preserving a range of important architectural features that included the original façade and the iconic lighthouse itself.

A delicate balance

The structure is located above underground rail tunnels and any major change in weight could have caused damage to the railway below. Using innovative techniques such as laser scanning and an expertly planned construction sequence, we ensured there was no disruption to passengers. These techniques also allowed us to extend the building by a floor and a half to accommodate extra office space.

We repaired and cleaned the original façade, isolating it from the new internal structure to eliminate vibrations and noise from the trains below.

Restoration and repair

Throughout the project we worked closely with Historic England, the public body that looks after England's historic environment, to ensure the regenerated building met their high standards. All timber was restored by hand and the building’s distinctive weathervane was repaired to ensure the finished result reflected the structure’s important heritage.

“The Lighthouse has been a very complicated project. I have had the help of an inspiring professional team as well as a great contractor. It is a project that I will forever be proud of.”

London Aquatics Centre

Balfour Beatty constructed the iconic Aquatics Centre for the London 2012 Olympic Games, creating the competition pool, diving pool and the training pool, as well as a range of visitor facilities.

During the games, the building accommodated 17,000 spectators. It was then transformed into legacy mode, reducing the number of seats to 2,500 and ensuring the facility is suitable for a variety of uses in the future. It is now open to the public as a world-class aquatics venue.

The eye-catching sweeping roof, which is 160m long and 95m wide at its widest point, is an innovative 2,800 tonne steel structure with a striking and robust aluminium covering resting on three supports that measure just 1m2. The building is supported by 1,500 CFA piles, installed by our in-house piling team Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering.

Going for gold

The Aquatics Centre achieved the highest BREEAM score in the Olympic Park (73.67% Excellent) and we were the only contractor to receive a BREEAM innovation credit.

We reused recycled aggregates in the permanent works, achieving 51% recycled content and saving approximately £1,000,000. The venue’s impact on the environment us further reduced by using renewable energy, sustainably sourced building materials and reusing pool water to flush the toilets. We delivered 56% of total materials by rail or water.

Wherever possible, reuses for materials were found including using the steel terrace to build a permanent grandstand at the Gulfstream Park racecourse in Miami, Florida and reusing two water tanks in the village of Cheptiret in Kenya to provide clean water for over 4,000 people.

Our awards

2009 Newham Education Business Partnership – In recognition of outstanding support given to the partnership and the young people of Newham

‘’The Olympic Delivery Authority’s approach to the London 2012 programme and their sustainability targets set new benchmarks for the construction industry. This helped all of us improve our systems and make our people and our suppliers believe that addressing sustainability through design, procurement and construction phases is a collective responsibility.”

Stuart FraserProject Director, Balfour Beatty

73.67 %

BREEAM score

First

contractor on the park to bring in materials by barge

27

local schools helped to achieve their curriculum objectives, winning a diversity award from ODA

London Power Tunnels

London accounts for 20% of the UK's energy use and demand is steadily rising

The background

In 2013, Balfour Beatty began to install high voltage electricity cables for National Grid's London Power Tunnels project.

This project will rewire the capital via deep underground tunnels, in order to ensure London’s electricity needs continue to be met and to ensure the city can access the renewable energy sources of the future. It will connect several substations around the city via tunnels up to 60 meters below the surface.

Putting power cables in tunnels also means that future maintenance and network expansion operations can be carried out with minimum disruption. Electricity cables in cities are traditionally buried in ducts just below the road surface, so fault repair or cable upgrades often cause lengthy delays for road users.

The project is due to be complete and operational by 2018.

The challenge

We are investing in training in order to grow a sustainable, long-term workforce, at the same time as developing innovative new technologies to ensure our people stay safe.

The measures

Working with the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy in Ilford, East London, we are helping to address the resource challenges facing the power industry by offering local unemployed people training in tunnelling and the opportunity to work on this important infrastructure project.View the video to find out more.

Our patented Tunnel Cabling Machine (TCM) technology is another vital part of our approach to cable tunnel projects. The TCM has revolutionised the process of installing high voltage cables within tunnels by - driving out risk and vastly increasing the speed, efficiency and quality of installation. On previous projects, this technology has reduced project timescales by a third and has carried the longest single-length cable-pull in Europe – 1.2km.

The benefits

The London Power Tunnels project reaffirms Balfour Beatty's position as one of the world's leaders in tunnel cable installation, a sector which is likely to grow as developing economies continue to invest in new approaches to infrastructure.

M25 Motorway widening

This £6.2 billion project saw an extensive programme of road widening and improvements to increase capacity and enhance safety and reliability of one of Europe's busiest motorways

The M25 carries more than 200,000 vehicles per day on some sections. In May 2009, the Highways Agency (now known as Highways England) awarded Balfour Beatty a 30-year Design, Built, Finance and Operate (DBFO) contract to manage the M25 and its key arterial link roads.

The scope of works included routine maintenance, the delivery of life-cycle works and improvement schemes, constructing 62km of motorway widening prior to the 2012 Olympic Games and a further 46km of 'Smart' motorway.

The 'Smart' motorway upgrades enable the hard shoulder to be used permanently as an extra running lane improving the reliability of journey times. The works included the installation of new infrastructure and technology including motorway spanning gantries, a contiguous piled retaining wall installed by Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering, refuge areas, emergency telephones, overhead signals, verge mounted signs and CCTV cameras.

The final section of roadworks was completed fourteen weeks ahead of schedule following the earlier completion of junctions 23 to 25 in Hertfordshire, and junctions 5 to 7 between Kent and Surrey (which also opened twenty-two weeks ahead of schedule in the spring of 2014).

The early completion was achieved through the extensive use of Building Information Modelling (BIM), which enabled the early detection of design issues while at the same time providing the customer, the Highways Agency, and stakeholders, such as Network Rail, with real-time information on design and implementation.

Balfour Beatty continues to work in a joint venture with Skanska on the motorway at junction 30 to improve capacity and traffic flow.

Related video content:

M4/M5 Smart Motorway

We delivered south west England’s first Smart Motorway, installing state-of-the-art technology to improve journeys.

As Smart Motorways, the M4 and M5 now respond to traffic conditions to ensure road safety and increase traffic capacity. Innovative cabled beneath the road relay information to responsive signs, varying speed limits according to the driving conditions. The hard shoulder is also made available to traffic at particularly busy times of the day.

A smooth journey

We refurbished seven existing gantries over the roads and installed 33 new structures, as well as creating six emergency refuge areas.

We also resurfaced over 14 miles of carriageway, installing more than 30 miles of fibre optic cables that transmit the information used to regulate traffic.

Safety innovations

Our team developed a unique programme to prevent construction workers being injured while working in close proximity to heavy plant and machinery. Our ‘Zone In’ training workshop included the use of life-sized models, real machinery, on-site video footage of risky behaviour and reconstructions of major incidents. It contributed significantly to the project’s outstanding safety record.

Morpeth Flood Alleviation Scheme

Using our expertise in flood defence to protect UK homes

In December 2014, we completed a £21 million flood alleviation project for the Environment Agency and Northumberland County Council.

The town of Morpeth in Northumberland, UK, has a long history of flooding, located in the floodplain of the River Wansbeck. The Morpeth Flood Alleviation Scheme was designed to protect the town from the level of flooding experienced in 2008 when over 1,000 homes and businesses were flooded.

To protect the residents’ properties, we built an upstream storage dam and a new earth embankment to store 1.4 million m3 of flood water. We also constructed flood defence walls throughout the town centre, installed flood gates and raised roads.

“The work at the dam is really impressive. We have exceeded 170,000 hours without a lost time injury - it doesn’t get much better than that, especially when you look at the challenging work being completed. At the dam for example, we are working 8-9 metres in the air, concreting and installing large steel work.”

Anthony MyattProject Manager, Environment Agency

Our recent track record in UK coastal protection and flood defence works includes 21 significant projects for local authorities and the Environment Agency, including the £86 million Rossall and Anchorsholme Scheme, the £5 million River Mersey Flood Defence Scheme, the £22 million Humber Flood Prevention Package and the £6 million Lincshore Beach Replenishment five year scheme.

North East Lincolnshire Partnership

We have broken new ground by launching a partnership with a local council that crosses traditional outsourcing boundaries.

Under a £250m, 10-year contract with North East Lincolnshire Council we will deliver a package of services spanning regeneration, highways, transport and planning, asset management and architectural support.

"The partnership will deliver 3,500 new and improved homes, cut deaths and injuries on our roads by 33% and 50% respectively, secure at least £570m of inward investment into the borough and deliver key regeneration projects."

Marc Cole

Director of Regeneration, North East Lincs Council

As well as cutting costs and improving services, we have committed to meeting 140 KPI targets that add up to a significant improvement in quality of life for local people. Our risks and rewards link directly to how well we succeed.

Integration is key. Both parties are incentivised to work together to maximise results, and over 300 council staff have transferred to a team that integrates expertise from our facilities management business and Parsons Brinckerhoff.

"It's a fantastic opportunity to accelerate regeneration of the borough. Balfour Beatty is working with North East Lincolnshire Council to create 4,200 new jobs and generate 250 training, work or apprenticeship placements."

North Island Hospitals Project

Environmentally responsible investment in a potential-rich market

In June 2014, we reached financial close for two new acute care hospitals on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. This is our second project in the Canadian health care market that year, and we will invest C$17.1 million (£9.4 million) into the project, which represents 50% of the required equity.

The Tandem Health Partners consortium, of which we are a member, issued a green bond, which was the first Public Private Partnership (PPP) green bond in North America and the first one to have been issued to finance a public infrastructure project in Canada. Green bonds are similar to traditional bonds, but the proceeds are used exclusively for projects with environmental benefits.

The North Island Hospitals Project qualified for a green bond because it achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold Certification, demonstrated commitment to stretching energy and greenhouse gas targets and complied with the British Columbia Wood First Act.

The project earned the 2014 National Innovation & Excellence Award from Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships.

"We believe designing, building, maintaining and partially financing the two new state-of-the-art hospitals in the Comox Valley and Campbell River is the best approach to meeting the health care needs of all residents of the mid- and north Vancouver Island regions."

The National Graphene Institute

Winner of the H&V News 'Building Services Project of the Year' award, the Institute provides research space with specialist laboratories and offices

Our Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick business delivered all of the mechanical and electrical services for this award-winning building. As a laboratory, the Institute demanded a complex system to deliver close control of temperature, humidity, pressure, vibration and electromagnetic interference.

The building also needed facilities to deal with special requirements such as ultra-pure water, specialist gases, vacuum, compressed air and solvent and acid extraction systems.

Designed for the future

Using Building Information Modelling, we eliminated waste and re-work by spotting service clashes before work began. Modules manufactured off-site at our Modular Systems + factory were delivered ready to install, including multi-service corridor modules, plant skids and lab bulk heads that incorporate localised air handling units, pipework, containment and ductwork.

Energy efficient building systems

As well as meeting stringent technical requirements, the mechanical and electrical installation also employs a range of energy and resource conserving solutions. This includes reclaiming heat from ventilation to pre-heat the air supply, harvesting rainwater and using extensive energy metering. Photovoltaic cells and lighting control systems further limit energy waste.

Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plant

Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the US, a complex ecosystem that supports a wide range of fish and shellfish. But the Bay, and its marine inhabitants, are suffering badly from pollution.

The main cause is nutrient-rich effluent, which the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) wants to see cut by 20-25%. Our projects, including constructing the world’s largest fixed film denitrification system, an enhanced nutrient removal facility, a biological aerated filter building and pump station, as well as leading utility works for the project will help the city reach local environmentalists’ target of making Baltimore Harbour more habitable for marine life by 2020.

Our three projects to upgrade Baltimore’s Patapsco wastewater treatment plant will vastly improve the surrounding environment and the City’s outflows into Chesapeake Bay.

They will ensure that the discharge of nutrients – nitrogen and phosphorus – into the Patapsco River meets the ‘pollution diet’ introduced by the EPA.

And they are helping to establish us – through our Fru-Con business – as one of the leading water and wastewater players in the US market.

Project Hercules, MOD Lyneham

We created a state-of-the-art training college for the armed forces, developing the local economy and engaging with the local community.

We designed and constructed this new military base and advanced training facility for the Ministry of Defence, working together with our joint venture partner, Kier. The project included detailed design work, demolition, extensive construction, refurbishment of existing buildings and landscaping of the surrounding area.

We delivered new accommodation for military trainees and enhanced training areas, as well as creating a multi-use games area and new sports pitches. The project called for the refurbishment of 36 existing buildings including three hangars and a church. A vacant airbase nearby was also regenerated, becoming an outstanding outdoor training space.

A Herculean effort

This development has boosted the local economy and encouraged engagement with the surrounding communities. At construction peak, the project employed 1,350 people including service leavers and injured ex-military personnel.

We spent two days with pupils at Lyneham Primary School to educate students about the site. During this visit, we helped construct a conservation area, carried out a plant demonstration and took part in a school assembly.

As part of the redevelopment works, we also created a public memorial garden to pay tribute to servicemen and women.

“MOD Lyneham is a fantastic place to train our military personnel. We’re all proud of the contribution we’re making to the Armed Forces – the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s purpose is to support the armed forces by providing what they need to live, work and train and this project ticks all three boxes in one development.”

Air Vice-Marshal Elaine WestDIO’s Director of Projects and Programme Delivery

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham

We used our expert range of engineering and construction capabilities to deliver a complex NHS facility.

We designed and constructed this RIBA award-winning health campus, transforming healthcare provisions in Birmingham and the West Midlands. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is one of the UK's largest healthcare sites and is home to two important NHS trusts. We created a modern environment to enhance service and ensure patient wellbeing.

With the demands of this busy hospital in mind, we developed and implemented an innovative ward design. Each ward is made up of a series of clusters, which can be combined if necessary to accommodate more patients. All facilities and lifts are positioned expertly for ease of transport and communication between wards. The campus-style layout includes a new 1,213-bed acute hospital, a 137-bed specialist psychiatric hospital and teaching facility, as well as a 21-bed mental health resource.

An all-round approach

Over the course of the project, we delivered a wide range of collaborative skills including PFI funding, construction, mechanical and electrical installation, civil engineering and facilities management.

The project was completed on time with several elements delivered early. Our offsite manufacturing facility, Modular Systems +, helped deliver several sections ahead of schedule. This included the design, manufacture and installation of 600 shower and WC pods, 300 ward modules and 1,800 modules of ducting, pipe work and cabling. This modular approach greatly reduced the need for onsite operations such as hot works, manual handling and working at height. Our in-house piling business, Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering delivered 2500 450mm and 600mm diameter CFA piles as well as precast, steel tube and mini piles.

Bright, welcoming and calm, the design of the new hospital is specifically focused around the needs of patients and visitors, making a hospital visit as easy and pleasant as possible.

“We’ve got a fantastic facility. It’s not just fantastic for the staff that work here or the patients of Birmingham. We treat patients from all over the UK, and actually beyond our own shores, and finally they’ve got the hospital they deserve.”

Rhuddlan Castle

Balvac repaired this 13th century castle in North Wales, helping to preserve the historic ruin for future generations.

Working with conservation and archaeological specialists, we employed a number of techniques to combat the inclement weather and strong coastal winds weakening the castle’s sandstone walls.

Cracked lintel stones above window openings were pinned following resin injection to prevent further damage and to provide support. We stabilise weak and weathered stones by covering the surface of the walls with a low viscosity sealant. We tied loose masonry in place to prevent falling debris before filling in the joints with mortar and resin, ensuring a longer lifetime for the castle.

Sydney Water

Working collaboratively to renew and improve water networks

Our joint venture won a place on a major water networks framework by Australia’s largest water utility provider, Sydney Water. We are now in line to bid for work packages worth approximately £91 million over the next five years.

Sharing our knowledge

By sharing our network intelligence capabilities with Australian water companies, we are working together to better understand issues facing water networks.

Using techniques we already employ throughout the United Kingdom, we will concentrate on slip lining and pipe bursting services. We will also help utility companies proactively prevent expensive and disruptive bursts and minimise leaks.

The framework is an example of how we successfully transfer specialist infrastructure knowledge around the globe to deliver value for our clients.

“Local market knowledge, the strong connection with Leed and our international water expertise has proven to be a winning combination for our client.”

Texas A&M University

Working together in the growing student accommodation sector

Not only our second student accommodation project between our teams and The Texas A&M University System, this £134 million project at the main campus in College Station is also our sixth student accommodation project in the US.

The project is a collaboration between Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions as lead developer and our US Construction business as construction partner.

The new development will be delivered in two phases and will feature apartment and traditional residence hall designs for the university’s west campus.

Over the past few years, we have established a strong presence in the student accommodation market in both the UK and the US, meeting our clients’ needs by combining our investment, construction and maintenance capabilities.

“Investment in student accommodation is expected to continue over the next few years on both sides of the Atlantic, with $1 billion of new projects coming to market in the USA and a pipeline of around £1 billion of new projects anticipated in the UK. Our progress so far demonstrates that we are well-placed to maximise on these opportunities as they come to market.”

The Sainsbury Laboratory

We delivered a range of mechanical and electrical installations for a new, complex research institute studying plant growth and development systems.

The high specification mechanical and electrical (M&E) services we installed in the Sainsbury Laboratory ensure world-class conditions for leading scientists, mathematicians and chemists. We also provided a comfortable environment for support areas, meeting spaces, a café and an auditorium. Our core M&E services ranged from a rainwater harvesting and water monitoring system to electrical systems including photovoltaic panels, photocell controlled lighting and general power.

A smart space

We used off-site construction to prefabricate the main plant room. We then transported it to site in sections ready for installation, reducing man-hours on site and ensuring work went according to schedule. This smart system of working significantly reduced waste and enhanced quality control.

We delivered a clean, uncluttered facility, receiving a BREEAM Excellent certification for the project.

The Shard foundations

Using multiple piling techniques, we installed over 160 piles to support this 87-storey iconic London skyscraper

At 310 metres high, the Shard is the tallest building in Western Europe. Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering delivered complex piling works for main contractor Mace, forming the first phase of the £2 billion London Bridge Quarter regeneration works.

A heavy load

Working on the site of an existing tower block, our design team developed an innovative solution to overcome the obstruction of existing piles. Secant piles were used to form a retaining wall and carry the vertical load of the structure. A range of firm and structural piles up to 1.8m diameter were also installed at depths of 25 to 50 metres.

We employed a top-down method that allowed us to continue piling work as construction began on the building. Using a unique hydraulic frame, we installed plunge columns of multiple sizes, increased the vertical tolerance of the piles and reduced the overall programme by six months.

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Thames Tideway Tunnel

We are helping to construct the west section of the Thames Tideway Tunnel – London’s new ‘super sewer’.

Running underneath the River Thames, the new tunnel will ensure the capital’s sewerage system is fit to support its projected population for at least the next 100 years. It will also tackle the issue of discharges of untreated sewage that currently enter the River Thames on a regular basis.

Working in a three-way equal joint venture alongside Morgan Sindall and BAM Nuttall, we will deliver the £416 million, six kilometre ‘West’ section of the overall 25km Thames Tideway Tunnel.

From Acton in West London to Wandsworth in South West London, the project will incorporate seven separate work sites along the route. Works will include design, construction, commissioning and maintenance for a two to five year period following construction completion.

This unique infrastructure project, which is the largest ever undertaken by the UK water industry, is another example of the part we are playing in 21st Century engineering.

Thinking locally

Using Building Information Modelling (BIM), we will test and simulate construction before works start on site for safe and efficient delivery. A large percentage of project materials will be transported down the river to ease road congestion, emissions and disruption throughout the duration of the project.

The overall Thames Tideway Tunnel scheme will create more than 4,000 direct and indirect jobs at the peak of construction. Throughout the project, we will engage with local businesses and SMEs, providing local job opportunities including 50 new apprenticeships demonstrating our commitment to inspire and upskill a new generation.

Thames Water

Ensuring a secure, reliable water supply to its 13.5 million customers across London and the Thames Valley

Eight2o Alliance

Every day, Thames Water supplies around 2.6 million litres of drinking water to 8.5 million customers across London and the Thames Valley.

In 2013, Balfour Beatty, in joint venture with Skanska and MWH Global (SMBJV), was selected as one of two partners to deliver Thames Water’s AMP6 Alliance for Capital Delivery.

The SMB joint venture will play a key role in delivering one of the largest and most varied water infrastructure programmes in the UK, providing design-and-build solutions for the development and delivery of the £2 – £3 billion alliance programme.

The contract began in May 2013 with the 23-month Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) phase, in preparation for the start of AMP6 delivery which runs from April 2015 to March 2020. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to work closely with Thames Water, providing advice based upon our in depth knowledge of delivering similar water contracts and to support our client in making the best investment decisions.

Together, SMBJV will focus on driving out waste, promoting a sustainable procurement strategy and making best use of the ECI phase to design a robust delivery plan. Our collective industry-leading experience, best practice, construction expertise and strong technical capabilities puts us in a great position to be able to meet the unique challenges of working in the capital city.

The work carried out by Balfour Beatty as part of the Alliance (now known as Eight2o) will ensure that Thames Water can continue to provide the secure, reliable water supply to its 8.5 million drinking water and 13.5 million wastewater customers across London and the Thames Valley.

1.2 million

The number of manholes in the Thames Valley region

8.5 million

The number of drinking water customers in London and the Thames Valley

Vineyard Surface Water Treatment Plant

The Vineyard project is a model of care for the environment, Zero Harm, recycling and protection of endangered species

The challenge

Balfour Beatty Infrastructure’s largest self-perform contract ever, the $207m Vineyard Water Treatment Plant in Sacramento County, California, is a model of earth-friendly construction and sustainability.

Work began in March 2008 and wrapped up in 2012. The plant, which includes a 7,000 horsepower pump station, receives its water from the Freeport Water Intake Facility, another major Balfour Beatty Infrastructure project. The Vineyard facility is designed to treat 50 million gallons of drinking water per day.

The measures

Before the plant could begin pumping water out to the community, the California Department of Health Services had to certify the facility. During this water quality testing, Balfour Beatty Infrastructure treated and released more than a billion gallons of test water into nearby waterways, which were free of all environmental incidents.

The workers also had a neighbour to watch out for the Swainson’s hawk. These birds of prey, which subsist on a diet of grasshoppers and dragonflies, are on California’s list of threatened species. A nest on the corner of the site forced the team to exercise caution and remain hundreds of feet away at all times. That care paid off: Each year of the project, the hawks had hatchlings occupying the nest.

The team took pains throughout the course of the job to recycle as many discarded materials as possible: 75 percent of the project’s waste was diverted from landfills to be recycled. On the worksite, dumpsters were designated for waste, others for such recyclable materials as metals and wood. Workers used recycled steel and other green alternative materials to build the plant. A contractor brought in heavy equipment to furnish the road base by crushing stone and other materials taken from the site. 15 percent of all building materials were procured from nearby sources, a move aimed at reducing vehicle emissions.

Balfour Beatty Infrastructure’s safety record on the Vineyard project was solid: the Vineyard project made it through the entire three years without a single recordable injury.

The results

The Vineyard project is a model of care for the environment, Zero Harm, recycling and protection of endangered species. Balfour Beatty Infrastructure managed the project in a sustainable, earth-friendly manner, while benefitting the surrounding area with one of the most precious of all resources: drinking water.

A bird of prey nest on the corner of the site forced the team to exercise caution and remain hundreds of feet away at all times. That care paid off: each year of the project, the hawks had hatchlings occupying the nest.

West Island metro line

Minimising impacts for an underground railway in one of the world’s most densely populated areas

Keeping the noise down

During 2010, we won three major contracts from Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTR) – including the largest in its history.

Together, they mean that our Hong Kong-based joint venture, Gammon, is building the majority of the island's West Island Line, including all three new stations and 2.2km of its 3km tunnels.

We're using innovative solutions and our engineering and construction expertise to minimise impacts on traffic, the environment and the local community.

Why choose us? A key reason was our commitment to minimise impacts as we carve out an underground railway in one of the world's most densely populated areas. Our innovative approach includes:

Elaborate shielding and electrically driven equipment rather than diesel engines which set new standards in noise and dust suppression

Developing a self-compacting concrete to use in the above-ground structures, which results in less noise

80% of tunnelling spoil travelling by conveyor belt to barges for re-use (mainly on reclamation projects within Hong Kong), so minimising the impact on traffic and the environment

Underground crushers to feed the conveyors, further reducing noise and dust

On the largest contract, we have agreed with MTR to share the benefits of cost savings and the cost of any overruns, using a target-cost contract form.

Together, the three contracts are worth over £500m – making the West Island Line the largest civil infrastructure project Gammon has ever worked on. In the past decade, Gammon has built more underground stations in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand than anyone.

"Gammon was not awarded this project on price; it was because the customer liked our proposed methods and our track record with similar projects."

Brian Gowran

Project Director for the Kennedy Town Station and Overrun Tunnel project, Gammon

Westminster Bridge Road

We delivered state-of-the-art student accommodation on the banks of the river Thames.

This 19-storey building houses modern student accommodation across 1,092 bedrooms. The facility is situated near both the South Bank Conservation Area and the Westminster World Heritage site in the heart of London.

Modern living

The £80 million project also accommodates a new 6000m2 sixth-form college, occupying the first 3 floors of the building, as well as an 800m2 health suite with swimming pool and gym. Alongside these services, the building will also provide affordable office space.

The accommodation floors include photovoltaic panels and combined heat and power technology to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. Innovative modular off-site construction techniques were used to create bathroom pods and a cladding system, for a quicker and safer construction programme.

Local efficiencies

The project included a variety of employment and training initiatives. We created a range of apprenticeships to ensure tangible benefits for the local community. At construction peak, the project employed 500 people on site.

The building is located on one of London’s busiest roads, as well as being in close proximity to a busy railway line. We carefully planned site logistics and efficiently timed our procurement processes to overcome site restrictions.

“The mix of student residential, business, education and leisure uses all on one site will provide a welcome boost to the local economy and deliver an important element of the wider regeneration of the Waterloo area.”

Wind Farm Foundations, Ballybane, Cork, Ireland

Our concrete repair specialists used a variety of expert techniques to repair the foundations of this onshore wind farm

Balvac's specialist services were used to keep the turbines stable, minimising safety risks and ensuring they produced the required amount of energy.

The turbines are held in place by a steel ‘can’ embedded into a concrete foundation. We were contracted to repair and reinforce this concrete, helping to keep the turbines secure and ensuring they continue to produce energy. The work was carried out over a three-week period and ensured the smooth operation of the turbines.

We removed damaged concrete from the ‘can’, using precise drilling to access the base of the foundation. We strengthened the remaining concrete by injecting a specialist epoxy resin. The structures were then reinforced and protected from future damage using corrosion inhibitors and specialist sealants.

Whitelee Wind Farm

We delivered all the electrical infrastructure needed to power Europe’s largest onshore wind farm.

Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick provided extensive electrical and control systems for the 57km2 wind farm, as well as a 75 turbine extension to further increase generating power.

We were responsible for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of these systems. The contract included switchgear and over one million metres of cabling for 140 turbines, capable of producing 322MW of energy. As part of this project, we designed and built a new 275/33kV connection substation to connect the wind farm to the Scottish Power transmission network.

Powering on

Following this initial project, we were contracted to extend the wind farm, increasing its generating capacity. We delivered all electrical works for 75 extra turbines, capable of providing enough power for the equivalent of up to 300,000 households.

Zero Carbon Building

Hong Kong's First Zero Carbon Building

The challenge

67% of Hong Kong’s GHG emissions are associated with electricity generation and buildings account for 90% of that electricity. This compares with a global average of 40% for electricity usage in buildings. Hong Kong’s Government is aiming for a 50% reduction in carbon intensity by 2020, relative to a 2005 baseline.

The Measures

Gammon’s latest project, a US$19 million 5,000m2 two-floor building, is dwarfed by the spectacular high rises that surround it. Yet, it has a significance that belies its size, representing Hong Kong’s entry into the low carbon economy.

Built for the Construction Industry Council in just 11 months, the building will offset both embodied carbon and operating carbon over its design life by producing more energy than it consumes. 225 MWh of electricity per year will be generated on site, of which 30% will come from solar panels and 70% from biodiesel made from locally sourced cooking oil.

The building is constructed from low carbon and low impact materials including concrete with recycled aggregate and FSC timber. BIM technology was used extensively to minimise waste, by determining the precise volume of cut and fill, and by eliminating rework arising from coordination errors.

The results

The building achieved the Grand Award for a building under construction at the Hong Kong Green Building Awards 2012.

225 MWh of electricity per year will be generated on site, of which 30% will come from solar panels and 70% from biodiesel made from locally sourced cooking oil.

67%

of Hong Kong's GHG emissions are associated with electricity generation

225 MWh

of electricity per year will be generated on site

30%

of electricity is to come from solar panels

70%

of electricity is to be produced from biodiesel made from locally sourced cooking oil